Okay, so it's been ages since I updated. School's been incredibly busy lately, but it's better late than never, right? Thank you to everyone who read the last chapter, this one's for you guys!

Bradin and Ava rushed into the station. He anxiously scanned the crowd of people searching for a familiar face. Then he spotted her leaning against the far wall in a chair, another woman sitting beside her. Ava noticed and gave him a little shove, "Go talk to her while I find out what's going on." It took several minutes to wind his way through the maze of desks and chairs until he was in front of her. She was staring blankly at the scuffed floor tiles and absentmindedly winding a lock of hair around her fingers. Bradin pulled up a chair and sat next to her. Jude slowly looked up as if coming out of a dream.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her face filled with amazement and a little uncertainty.

"They called the house. We came down here as soon as we heard," he said.

"I didn't know if you would come," she admitted.

"Why wouldn't we?"

"I don't know," Jude said, "but I'm glad you did."

"It's going to be okay. My aunt's trying to get everything worked out," Bradin told her. "How are you doing?"

"I don't know," she said, "I'll let you know."

"What happened? When did he die?" he asked.

"They found him three days ago outside of a town about three hundred miles way. Apparently, he'd been dead for about a day, which means he died the day he left. The police say it was a car accident. His car had completely burned up. They had to use his dental records to identify him," she said. "That's why it took so long to hunt me down. Dental records? How bad of an accident does it take for that to happen?"

"I'm so sorry," Bradin said, feeling his words were completely inadequate. What else could he say?

"I don't know what to feel. I mean, Brian's been the worst part of my life for so long, I don't know what to do without him. I've spent the greater part of the last two years hating him so much. Now that he's gone, it's different." Jude looked at him. "I thought I would be happy when he died. Isn't that what happens in the books and movies? The villain dies, and the hero is left in a state of bliss? If that's the case, then why do I feel like everything just got turned upside down? Why do I wish it wasn't true?"

"After all that he's done to you, I'll be honest, I'm glad he's gone." Bradin said. "But I think it's a natural thing to miss someone, even if they're horrible. I can't say I feel the same as you do."

"Well said," she gave him a lopsided smile. "It's just that he's been there. He's the one constant in my life, an awful one, but still he's always there. Now, what do I have left? He was the only family I had."

"I don't know, Jude," He tried to remain positive. "Maybe you can stay with us." She looked away, nervously gnawing on her lower lip.

"The lady sitting next to me is from social services. I overheard her talking to the officer a little while ago. They're thinking about sending me into foster care. They might send me away," she said in a low voice, so the woman wouldn't hear.

"Maybe they won't," he said.

"Where else am I going to go? I don't turn 18 until next year. I'm considered too young to live on my own. And I…" she stopped abruptly, her voice containing a hint of panic.

"Don't worry, it's going to work out," he tried to reassure her.

"I think it's past that point now."

"Well, if it ends up differently, we'll figure out what to do then," Bradin said. "Besides, you can't run off again."

"Why not?"

"I won't you," he answered. Her face took on a strange expression.

"But, what about your conversation earlier today?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, just as Ava materialized out of the crowd before them. "We'll discuss this later," he whispered in her ear before speaking up. "What did you find out, Aunt Ava?"

"I've talked to quite a few people here, and it looks like you're going to be staying with us for a little while longer," Ava said to Jude, whose jaw fell open.

"What? Are you serious? I don't know how to thank you," Jude stuttered in her surprise.

"I believe you just did," Ava told her. "Now why don't we get your things and go home? I think I've had a enough of the police station for one day. Home sounds good to me."

The sun was gradually sinking beneath the horizon as Bradin and Jude walked along the shoreline. They were a fair distance away from the house when they stopped to admire the moonlight dancing across the water. "So, what are you going to do now?" Bradin asked.

"I have to help make arrangements, go through all the junk in the house. That's going to take awhile. Brian never could throw anything out," Jude answered. "The house is paid for, which is a good thing. I just don't want to know how he pulled that off. Probably something extra illegal."

"Think you'll stick around for awhile?" Bradin said, looking at her. She felt a pang of sadness.

"I don't know. Maybe," she said, her voice becoming detached, almost cold. She wondered if her voice sounded as confused as she felt. He also seemed to be a little puzzled by her sudden mood change.

"I'm sorry about earlier today," he apologized, referring to his leaving her at the house.

"So am I," she said. "But life happens."

"I need to work on this perfect day stuff. It didn't go exactly as I was hoping for," Bradin said, shrugging slightly.

"My day was about as close to perfect as it could have gotten. Except for this afternoon." Jude smiled at him. "I wouldn't have had it any other way."

"Earlier, you said you had something to tell me." Bradin said, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." He could barely hear her answer.

"I was going to tell you everything."

"About?"

"Everything. Even though it probably wouldn't have been a good idea. I guess it doesn't matter now that he's gone." Jude said.

"He can't do anything to you now."

"No, he can't," she said. "I still can't believe that it's over. Maybe I can have a normal life now."

"Don't say anything if you don't feel comfortable."

"I want to. I should have said something a long time ago," Jude said, crossing her arms in front of her. "Where do I begin?" she muttered, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Before the car accident, things got really bad. I didn't know how bad, though. Mom never said a word. Then, a few days after the funeral, I was cleaning out my mom's closet. I found an envelope sitting on a cardboard box. My mom left a letter. She wrote that she was planning to take us kids and run away, but if things didn't work out, then she would have to take things into her own hands. But even that didn't end right."

"You're supposed to be here, there's a reason for everything," Bradin tried to assure her. "How did you end up here?"

"Brian started drinking even more after the accident. He found out that Mom left everything to us kids, which meant I got it. All the money is in a trust fund until I'm 18. If something happens to me, then the money goes to charity. He wasn't too happy to find out about that, since he had to keep me around for a few more years. We moved to a small town along the coast a month later." Jude paused. "I became friends with Trevor there."

"How did you two meet?" Bradin asked.

"That's kind of a funny story. The first day in town, I went for a run along a trail behind my house. Well, there was a bend in the path, and as I ran around it, I tripped and fell into someone. After lying on the ground and staring at the sky for a few minutes, we looked at each other and started laughing. That's how I met Trevor Samuels. He was the only child of a woman who liked to hang out with Brian. They basically spent more time drunk than sober."

"Why didn't you get help from anyone?"

"Brian and I didn't exactly go into town very often. No one really cared about the two kids of the local drunks. According to people in town, we were destined to end up just like them. Trevor and I took care of ourselves instead of asking for anything from anyone. We were inseparable for the months that I lived there."

"What was Trevor like?" he asked.

"Oh, he was a few inches taller than me. Thin and with curlyish brown hair and gray eyes. He was fairly serious, but did have a good sense of humor. He liked reading and writing poetry. Not your typical guy. Sometimes, he could be arrogant because he was so smart, but I started to like him anyways. He was two years older than me and wanted to go to college the next year to be an English teacher. But he never got that far." Her words were quiet and held a sense of foreboding.

"What happened to him?" Bradin knew this question could set off a myriad of reactions, but chose to ask.

"His mom, Lisa, and Brian started dating, which meant they drank even more, if that's possible. Trevor and I planned to run away, making arrangements to head to Canada. Then, they couldn't do anything to us there. His mom got sick because her liver was damaged from all the alcohol, and he decided not to go with me so he could take care of her. On that night, we met out on the path that followed a river between our houses. I was supposed to be in my room, but I snuck out. Trevor was going to help me leave the next night, and we were making final plans. Brian must have found out I wasn't there, and he came after us. We hid behind the bushes as he was staggering around dead drunk. Trevor went out there to try to talk to him and give me enough time to get back to my room. What we didn't know was that he had a gun. They started talking, which escalated to yelling at each other, and then the gun went off. I ran out there, but it had already happened. Brian shot and killed him. And I couldn't do a thing." She was crying again, hot, bitter tears. "He told me that it was my fault, and if I ever told anyone, he would kill me. I believed him too. Brian made me go to the house while he got rid of any evidence. I never saw Trevor again. His mom died soon after, and no one seemed to remember him, except for me. I dream about him all the time. That scene plays over and over again in my head. When you and I fell off the pier, I thought of him. That's why I yelled for him."

"I'm so sorry, Jude." Bradin hugged her tightly. She didn't try to pull away. "I'm glad you told me."

"I thought that he might come after you or your family, and I didn't want that to happen. Now that he's finally dead, I can make things right."

"Don't take this wrong, but I'm glad your stepdad is gone," Bradin said.

"I'm not as much happy as I am relieved," she admitted. "It's like a nightmare that's finally ended." She hesitated for a moment. They began walking again, but stopped in front of a log.

"Was there something else you wanted to tell me?" he asked, turning to look at her. She thought for a moment, remembering the situation in the afternoon, then shook her head.

"No, that was all," she said, while mentally berating herself for missing another chance.

"Do you miss him a lot?"

"All the time. He was…my best friend. I learned so much from him about myself. But, as time has passed, it doesn't hurt so much anymore. Recently, I thought I might be forgetting him and that scared me. But I can't hold onto hold onto him forever, and I think he understands." Jude said quietly, pointedly looking away from him.

"Jude, you are unlike anyone I've ever met," Bradin said. She shot a look of disbelief at him. "I know that I royally messed up this afternoon, but I was hoping that you would give me a second chance."

"A second chance?" she repeated. "For what?"

"For everything," he said, suddenly remembering something and reached into his pocket. "Here, I almost forgot. This is for you." She looked puzzled as she opened up the little box and pulled out a gold locket on a thin chain. Opening the clasp in the dim light, she gasped when she saw that the pictures inside were of her mother and brother.

"Where did you? How did you get these?"

"I borrowed those pictures of yours once when you were gone. Don't worry, I returned them without a scratch," he said. "Do you like it?"

"Bradin, I don't know what to say, it's absolutely beautiful." Jude said, her emotions rushing around inside of her. "Thank you."

"You said that the day would be perfect if your family was here, and that was the best I could do," he smiled at her.

"Will you help me put it on?" she asked, turning to let him fasten it. He fumbled for a minute, but managed to fasten the clasp, before gently spinning her around to face him. "This really has been the best day of my life, Bradin," she said, her voice full of contentment.

"I thought about your smile all day, did you know that?" he said suddenly. She stared at him in complete shock.

"What did you say?"

"It's true, you know," he said, watching her struggle to keep her feelings in check. "I just wanted you to know that." She was speechless. What was he trying to do to her?

"Thank you," she said in a small voice, afraid to say more to keep her true feelings from bursting out. She slowly slid down to where she was sitting in the sand, with her back up against the log.

"The first time I met you, I didn't know exactly what to think of you. But now I do." He reached out and turned her face towards his, forcing her to look at him. "I know you said that no one ever sees you for who you are, and I wanted to tell you that I didn't at first, but I see you now. And you're beautiful inside and out."

"I thought there was someone else. That's why I didn't say anything," she confessed.

"I did too, but there's no one else. You're the only one," he told her. Jude opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. She felt as though her heart was going to pound out of her chest. Bradin lowered his head and gently kissed her. Time seemed to stop at that moment, and she closed her eyes. He pulled away, and she finally spoke.

"You're sure?" she asked uncertainly, trying not to cry, but failing miserably.

"Being around you, it's like finally coming home. I haven't felt like that in a long time," he said, his face held an almost-shy expression. "Will you please not go? For me?" She hesitated for a long moment, before nodding silently. He cupped her tearstained cheek in one hand and lightly traced her face before kissing her again. She wrapped her arms around him, and kissed him in return. For a second, she debated about telling him about the first time she'd seen him, but stubbornly ignored the thought. She could tell him later. Right then, there was nothing that needed to be said.

Okay, that's all for now. I probably won't get to update until my finals are over in a week and a half. Thank you for being so patient with me! I hope you enjoyed this part.